Old dominion or abf

Guess I don't mind working for greedy scum. Must be my low self esteem.

 

I am talking about your employer not you. I guess it is up to you to interpret my comment any way you want. I have never worked under the conditions you are . If it was me I would get some experience and move on. Why not pay the going rate for breakdown. ABF pays 1/2 hour of the rate for drop and hook, plus hourly for breakdown. I think OD is ripping you off. That is called corporate greed. If you are willing to settle for less, so be it.

 

Try walking into a local teamsters hall and showing them your cdl and tell them u want to join their union.
Tell me how that goes.

 

If the local has companies looking for drivers, they will tell you who to contact and when you are hired they will sign you up.

 

I did that, it landed me gainful employment in a town that I was unfamiliar with. just don't go in there with an attitude, or a notion that they are connected to the mob, and you will be fine. don't show up in your sweat pants either, go there like its a shape up. dress like you are a professional, ready to work.

 

most BA's will be able to rattle off a list of places to apply at, my local keeps a list online under "local 449 companies looking to hire"....

 

I doubt it, but if you come off like this to your Steward, then BA, and whoever else, soon enough you are going to throw yourself to the wolves, and no one will pay attention because you will have earned yourself a reputation as "impossible to deal with".

 

False. OD pays overtime, it just takes 60 hours to reach that point. That's for P&D guys - I'm linehaul so it doesn't apply to me. I don't know where you're getting your info on insurance cost either. I have the most 'expensive' family plan (Health, Vision & Dental) and it's below $96.00 a week. Insurance is arguably average - that is true. We dont' have a pension, but generous company matching on our 401k. I don't pay union dues.

Here's some other things to consider. OD gives us 7 paid holidays (including our birthday) at over $20 per hour for 9 hours per day, this is not including our paid personal days or paid vacation time. We get 1 week of vacation after 1 year, 2 after 2 years, and I believe 3 weeks is at 8 years. 4 weeks is something over 10 years. We work 5 days a week in linehaul, a 6th day is optional. I started at .55 about 6 months ago, and we received a raise shortly after. I"m at .5733 and will reach top pay at 2 years after my hire date - at this point it's something like .60 cpm. OD will probably raise the .cpm again by then.

Our wild drivers (analogous to extra board) either have turn runs or bag runs, but do always have set schedule start times at the beginning of the 5 day work week schedule. You will always work the same 5 days, and have the same 2 off, depending on your wild schedule. Start time on consecutive days can vary depending on start and end of 10 hour breaks, but it's approximately the same as the first shift day. There is only about a 3 hour window for the start time of a wild shift. There's none of that waiting by the phone for hours on end and possibly working night shift one day, day shift the next day. I know YRC is like that, not sure about ABF, hoping somebody can clarify. Wild drivers also have a system where the first one back is last on the list for the next run, and vice versa. This balances out the seniority so that the new guys aren't always getting the less desirable loads. When I was wild bag, often I had multiple choices depending on when I arrived last. When I was wild turn, I had even more choices - sometimes up to 6 runs to choose from. THis can vary by terminal.

Break bulk terminals are a little different than other terminals, but at our break bulk, we have 2014 and 2015 tractors. Very well maintained and new equipment. All tractors and trailers get a preventative maintenance every 30 days - sometimes equipment slips through the cracks, that's to be expected. Volvos and Freightliners.

Linehaul drivers don't touch the freight, don't work the docks, ever. You're either doing meet and turns, or breaking and building your own sets running terminal to terminal. You have the option to do some city runs on the P&D side if you get back earlier and have time left - that is always optional. The linehaul pay for one entire break or build can be up to $6.00 per entire set, depending on how much equipment is handled. It wouldn't be too uncommon for a wild driver (not doing meet and turns) to rack up $30 or more per day in breaking / building sets plus being paid for fueling. That adds up quickly - could be over $500 a month for just breaking and building sets, plus fueling.

As a rookie driver, I just landed a schedule run after our recent rebid. I already have seniority since I'm from a large terminal. It's sort of a wild hybrid run. I always go to the same place for my first stop, then I can visit another 2 or 3 terminals before I come back home. Depending on the terminals I get routed to, in addition to my first stop, I have the potential to gross $1700 a week at .57 and the additional drop and hook, fuel pay. Not bad as a rookie linehaul driver. We are compensated well at OD - that is my whole point.

OD and ABF both give drivers a fantastic means to support a family and earn a living. I had a choice of multiple LTL companies to apply to when I graduated from trucking school - ABF, Estes, YRC, Conway-Freight, NEMF, Central Freight, R&L, UPSF, Fed Ex Freight, Ward, - I chose Old Dominion, and I love my company,

 

True, don't play the smoke and mirrors game. if its not 96.50 a week, what is it, I got that figure from other OD drivers on another board. let me guess, its 95.50?. btw, city drivers are supposed to be on a 60 hour clock, hence the company policy of OT after 60. Old Dominion, or "Overtime Denied"?

I get a .5 hour minimum at Holland, for every switch, drop, or hook, as well as BT time if I take my truck to the hotel. ABF would be the same, although they will end up getting a lot more money, with doubles. 6 per build and break is a slap in the face.

like I said, you guys only get 7.50 an hour for breakdown and layover. good maintenance is nice, I've never been left on the side of the road in my international at Holland. ABF has nice stuff, and they go on the clock at 23 something an hour, and get paid their total mileage, if they make it or not.